BUDVA – Montenegro’s membership in NATO will encourage foreign investors to further invest in our country, which is the best and fastest way to grow the economy, prime minister Dusko Markovic and US deputy assistant secretary of state Hoyt Brian Yee agreed today.

During the meeting on the sidelines of the To Be Secure Forum in Budva, the officials welcomed the upcoming Montenegrin membership in NATO and agreed that Markovic’s meeting with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson last Monday in Washington was extremely important for further improvement of the strategic partnership between Montenegro and the United States.

As the government’s PR service stated, Markovic and Yee said that it was extremely important to continue efforts to consolidate public finances (reducing the public debt and deficit) and establish full functionality of the political system.

Markovic reiterated his personal and his government’s readiness for a dialogue with the opposition in order to find a common solution to overcome the challenges. He also added that dialogue did not mean blackmails and that the opposition should behave responsibly rather than politically biased.“The PM presented fiscal consolidation measures, adding that they provided results, that revenues increased compared to the same period last year, as well as that spending was reduced. He pointed out that the measures did not compromise business environment and that increased foreign direct investments at the beginning of the year were encouraging, as well as announcements of new investments by the end of 2017,” it was said in the statement.

Yee welcomed the announcement of PM that Montenegro will provide 2 percent of GDP for defence by 2024. The US official confirmed the continuation of the US support to Montenegro in further reforms needed for full membership in the EU.

Markovic thanked the US for its support and pointed out that the success of Montenegro, including the integration into NATO, was a joint success of the two countries which cooperate as partners on numerous issues.

European Western Balkans is a web portal that focuses on the WB countries and reports on development of the EU’s enlargement policy. The portal is launched in 2014 by the Centre for Contemporary Politics.

European Western Balkans is a web portal that focuses on the WB countries and reports on development of the EU’s enlargement policy. The portal is launched in 2014 by the Centre for Contemporary Politics.